Zambia

Zambia is experiencing a severe poverty crisis, with over 60% of its population living below the national poverty line. Driven by high rural poverty rates, reaching nearly 79% in 2022, and a high cost of living, the country is among the world's most unequal and poorest nations despite its natural resources. 
Key Geographic Areas of Operation
•	Western Province: Focuses on the Barotse Flood plain, supporting communities suffering from extreme malnutrition, financial insecurity, and climate-related disasters (droughts/floods).
•	Eastern, Central, and Northern Provinces: High concentration of poor households requiring agricultural inputs and social welfare assistance.
•	Copperbelt Province: Targeted operations in inner-city slum areas to aid orphans, single mothers, and people living with HIV/AIDS.


PRISON FELLOWSHIP ZAMBIA

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION

Andrew Chirwa

Chitalu Bwalya

Teddy Mweetwa

David Kanagayamagamu

Leonard Tembo

Enock Kambungu

Enocent Silwamba

Magret Sibayumba

Rose Banda

Aliness Bwale

PFZ-NGO exists to address issues in support of the public good. Operating independently of government control. Value-driven and rely on volunteer effort, donation and grants to implement projects to provide service through community development.

Onderwijs en wetenschap

CWD gain access to inclusive education, with a strong focus on gender parity and girls included. Teachers trained in inclusive education techniques and specialized disability assessment. Community engagement and reduced absenteeism. 

Kwaliteit onderwijs

Mensen met een beperking

To improve educational opportunities for children and young people with disabilities

The project will focus on improving the lives of children with disabilities (CWDs) through inclusive education, specialized care, and community support. The Project aims to reduce stigma, improve access to education and health services, and provide vocational training to families. 

Ministry of Education
Zambia Agency for Persons with Disability
Parents/guardians
Community leadership
Ministry of Health
Local Radio Community stations

Measuring the success of project goals supporting Children with Disabilities (CWD) to access education in Zambia involves tracking increased enrollment and retention rates, improved teacher training, and strengthened school infrastructure.
Key Metrics and Measurement Strategies:
•	Access and Enrollment Data: Tracking the number of CWD enrolled in school.
•	Retention and Participation Rates: Monitoring the continuity of CWD attendance and their participation in classroom activities.
•	Capacity Building Tracking: Measuring the number of teachers trained in special and inclusive education.
•	Infrastructure Accessibility: Evaluating schools on their provision of accessible facilities.
•	Advocacy and Policy Impact: Utilizing qualitative methods like Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with parents and ZAPD (Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities) personnel to assess changes in cultural attitudes towards disability.
•	Behavioral Monitoring: Implementing student councils to monitor and report on school environments and teacher behavior
Methods for Evaluation:
•	Mid-term/End-line Reviews: Regular reviews of similar project reports, to determine if projects are reaching their target milestones.
•	Qualitative Research: Using phenomenological designs to understand the lived experiences of CWD in inclusive education settings.
•	Independent Evaluations: Engaging external consultants to assess project achievements
•	Advocacy Analysis: Reviewing the effectiveness of media advocacy on inclusive education


Supporting Children with Disabilities (CWDs) in Zambia faces critical bottlenecks, primarily stemming from deeply ingrained negative attitudes/stigma, severe infrastructure limitations (inaccessible buildings), and a lack of trained specialized teachers. Other key risks include high poverty levels affecting families, inadequate specialized teaching materials, and limited enforcement of inclusive education policies, often resulting in high dropout rates and limited access to primary education.
Key Risks and Bottlenecks
•	Physical Infrastructure Inaccessibility: School buildings, sanitation facilities, and classrooms are often not designed for children with physical disabilities, making access difficult or impossible.
•	Negative Attitudes & Stigma: Children with disabilities often experience discrimination from peers, teachers, and communities, which hinders their enrollment and active participation in schools.
•	Limited Trained Personnel: A significant shortage exists of teachers trained in special education and inclusive teaching methods to support learners with diverse needs.
•	High Poverty & Cost of Support: High levels of poverty, particularly in rural areas, make it difficult for families to pay for specialized equipment, assistive devices, and transport.
•	Inadequate Learning Materials: There is a shortage of assistive devices, braille materials, and accessible ICT for learners with sensory, intellectual, and physical disabilities.
•	Policy Gaps in Practice: While policies exist, there is a gap in implementation and enforcement, often leading to slow progress on school sensitization and teacher training.
•	Weak Data & Identification: A lack of accurate data on CWDs makes planning and providing specific, targeted support difficult.



Kinderen (<12 jaar)

Jongeren (< 18 jaar)

Enhanced Support System for Children with Disabilities (CWDs)

24-month project structure will conclude with final evaluation, reporting, and sustainability planning to ensure long-term impact.

The project will increase school retention, improved literacy and numeracy and delayed marriage. It will foster confidence, reduce economic dependence and empower girls to advocate against gender-based violence and for their reproductive health.

The duration span for the project is 2 years and will be implemented in rural and slums of Ndola, Masaiti and Mpongwe of districts to serve girls from vulnerable families in Zambia.


The project will collaborate with the following stakeholders:
Ministry of Education 
•	Continue to review and integrate HIV/AIDS education at all levels of the education system. 
•	Ensure the integration of reproductive health education into the curricula at all levels of the education system. 
•	Mobilize individuals and organizational support for the implementation of ARH&D and population education programs. 

Ministry of Health 
•	The Ministry of Health's through district hospitals is one of the principal implementers of the Adolescent Reproductive Health and Development (ARH&D) Policy. 

The Family and the Community 
•	Maintain the traditional role of supporting and moulding adolescents’ lives, whilst also being challenged by emerging socio-economic and cultural challenges. 
•	Advocate promote, and support this project’s implementation and the provision of information and services to the girls and boys. 
•	Support fully the integration of girls’ rights to education into the social, legislative and policy development agenda and support the eradication of un-favourable socio-cultural practices that promote gender inequality in education and violence against girls. 
Children and Adolescents. 
•	Seek appropriate information for themselves and enhance awareness of issues related to consumption of alcohol and harmful drugs. 
•	Mobilize individuals, leaders and the community to support the implementation of the project using existing structures in folk media and modern theatre. 
•	Articulate adolescent reproductive health issues to the public and other stakeholders. 
•	Take the initiative to make responsible life decisions and positively change their sexual and reproductive health behaviours, seek and utilize ARH counselling, information and services. 


Prison Fellowship Zambia will commission country-level coordinated baseline studies in the first year of the project to inform benchmarks and targets for purpose and output indicators. The baselines will support monitoring and assessment of project achievements. Following the baseline, the quantitative and qualitative indicators in the project logical framework will be refined to incorporate the benchmarks more specifically and in a measurable form. 

Prison Fellowship Zambia will use the Annual Participatory Programme Reviews (APPRs) to monitor and assess progress towards realizing the project’s objectives, alongside stories of change for learning purposes. Participatory monitoring and evaluation methods such as Participatory Action Research and the Most Significant Change (MSC) technique, will be employed to capture most significant changes that have resulted from project implementation. An end term evaluation will be undertaken to assess the project’s achievements against the set results. 


IDENTIFIED RISKS
•	The risk of retrogressive cultural practices
•	Limited/Inadequate resources (human, financial and material support)
•	Poor management and misapplication of education resources

MITIGATION MEASURE
•	Mitigation Behaviour Change Communication
•	Boosting resources mobilization efforts and enhancing linkages through devolved funds like the Constituency Development Funds and social cash Funds
•	Lobbying and advocacy for enhanced accountability by the duty bearers.
•	Regular school assessment , audits and joint supervision
•	Accountability school management

The project will provide value for money. The project value for money cannot be quantified but it can be derived from the relevance of the project to the direct and indirect beneficiaries, the sustainability of projects interventions and by its intention to reach girls as a marginalized group but that has potential for multiplier effects. 



Zorg en gezondheid

Maatschappelijke en sociale doelen

Economie en welvaart

Project date start focuses on enhancing education, leadership skills, community support for girls aged 10–18 over a 24-month period. Activities include creating safe spaces, scholarships, mentorship workshops, and fostering community dialogue.

Goede gezondheid en welzijn

Huishoudens onder lage-inkomensgrens

Studenten

Mannen

Vrouwen

Empowering Girls through Education

Milieu natuur en dierenbescherming

In Zambia, the themes of economy and prosperity are currently defined by a transition from debt-driven instability towards a “prosperous, resilient, and equitable” nation.  Zambia’s economy is currently focused on consolidating gains from a post-pandemic recovery and debt restructuring to drive toward a "prosperous, resilient, and equitable" status by 2030. The 2026 budget theme, "Consolidating Economic and Social Gains," highlights a shift toward strengthening mining, agriculture, and tourism, while focusing on local value addition rather than just exporting raw materials. Mining remains the backbone of the economy, contributing significantly to GDP and foreign exchange. Current policies focus on increasing copper production to over one million tonnes while diversifying into other energy-transition minerals like nickel, cobalt, and gold. Agricultural Transformation: Agriculture is prioritized as a key driver for rural development and poverty reduction. Key strategies include enhancing irrigation, increasing maize production to 3.7+ million metric tonnes, and diversifying into crops like soya beans and wheat. Social Sector Investment: Prosperity initiatives include providing free education, recruiting teachers and health workers, and expanding the Social Cash Transfer program to cover nearly 1 million households to mitigate poverty.

Themes of education and science in Zambia are primarily centered on achieving Vision 2030—transforming the nation into a prosperous middle-income industrial nation. To achieve this, the education system, guided by the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) and the 2023 Curriculum Framework, focuses on enhancing quality and access, promoting skills acquisition (TEVET), integrating STEM, and increasing private sector participation.

•	Competence-Based Education (CBE) and Curriculum Reform: The 2023 Curriculum Framework shifted from an outcome-based to a competence-based approach. This emphasizes practical skills, creativity, and problem-solving, moving away from rote learning to prepare students for real-world challenges.
•	Vocationalization and Skills Development: Promoting Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) is a priority. The government aims to integrate vocational pathways into secondary schools to combat youth unemployment and support industrialization.

Environmental themes in Zambia are heavily centered on the Environmental themes in Zambia are heavily centered on the deforestation, biodiversity loss, water management, waste disposal, and the transition to a green economy. Nature and animal protection in Zambia is centered on balancing the conservation of vast biodiversity with the socio-economic needs of local communities. With over 30% of its land dedicated to protected areas, including 20 National Parks and 34 Game Management Areas (GMAs), Zambia emphasizes community engagement, anti-poaching initiatives, and sustainable tourism as key strategies.
Healthcare and health in Zambia are characterized by a strong government commitment to primary health care and universal health coverage, aiming to deliver services as close to the family as possible. Social and community objectives in Zambia are primarily centered on reducing extreme poverty, enhancing human development, and fostering inclusive, community-driven growth to transform livelihoods. These objectives are deeply embedded in national strategies like the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP 2022–2026) and the Vision 2030, which focus on social protection, empowerment, and equity.


Gendergelijkheid

Schoon water en sanitair

Geen armoede

Geen honger

Eerlijk werk en economische groei

Klimaatactie

Ongelijkheid verminderen

Across Zambia, millions of families face the daily realities of poverty. For many, it is not simply a lack of income but a struggle to access clean water, quality education, health care, and sustainable livelihoods. Rural communities, in particular, bear the brunt of this hardship, where limited infrastructure, prolonged drought, and food insecurity make survival a constant challenge. Poverty in Zambia is a complex web of social and economic barriers. Families contend with crop failures caused by climate change, rising food prices, and widespread unemployment. These difficulties are compounded by public health crises such as HIV/AIDS, which have left countless children orphaned and communities stretched thin. The result is a cycle that hinders opportunity and weakens resilience, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. Prison Fellowship Zambia has worked alongside local Zambian partners for decades to address these challenges at their roots. Our programs focus on sustainable, community-led development; empowering people through access to clean water, education, health care, and orphan care. By equipping families and villages with the tools they need to thrive, we help build a future where independence and hope replace poverty and dependence. The life situation of women in Zambia is marked by a mix of significant progress in policy and health, alongside enduring challenges in economic, social, and political spheres, often defined by a sharp divide between urban and rural areas. While women hold roughly 70% of agricultural labor roles and show high levels of entrepreneurial activity, they face high rates of gender-based violence (GBV), child marriage, and limited access to formal education and economic resources.  Zambian women are largely responsible for household management and care, and they are recognized for their resilience and high entrepreneurial engagement, with over 48% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owned or led by women. 

Rural women in Zambia suffer from higher poverty levels (76.6% compared to 23.4% in urban areas) and have less access to education, financial services, and healthcare.  They are also more susceptible to the effects of climate change, such as droughts and crop failures, due to their dependence on subsistence agriculture. Children in Zambia, comprising nearly half the population, face severe, interconnected challenges: 70.6% experience multidimensional poverty, including lack of access to nutrition, education, and sanitation. Over 1.3 million children engage in labor, while high rates of malnutrition, child marriage, and sexual violence persist, particularly in rural areas.  Whilst Youth in Zambia constitute a large, mostly under-25 demographic facing significant challenges with high unemployment, poverty, and limited opportunities. Over 3.3 million youth (2022 data) are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), with rural youth suffering from higher poverty rates (59.6%) compared to urban counterparts.  Key issues include high teenage pregnancy, limited sexual health access, and vulnerability to exploitation, though youth remain a key demographic for economic transformation. As the life situation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Zambia is characterized by significant challenges related to poverty, social exclusion, and limited access to essential services, despite a progressive legal framework. An estimated 1.5 million people (roughly 7.7% to 11% of the population) live with some form of disability, with a higher prevalence in rural areas. They face substantial barriers to education, employment, healthcare, and infrastructure, often resulting in high levels of dependency and vulnerability.

Climate Shocks & Food Insecurity: In early 2024, Zambia faced its worst drought since 1981, caused by the El Niño weather pattern that disrupted rainfall across southern Africa. The government declared a national disaster on February 29, 2024, after months without adequate rain left fields barren and millions struggling to find food. What began as a climate event quickly escalated into a humanitarian crisis, underscoring just how fragile rural livelihoods remain in the face of extreme weather. The drought also had far-reaching ripple effects. Water shortages crippled hydroelectric power generation, leading to rolling blackouts that disrupted schools, hospitals, and small businesses. Rivers and wells dried up, heightening competition for safe water and exacerbating the spread of waterborne illnesses. These conditions reveal how deeply vulnerable Zambia’s rural communities are to climate extremes. Without investment in irrigation systems, drought-resistant crops, and sustainable farming methods, each new dry season risks erasing years of progress. Building climate resilience is now essential not only to fight hunger but to protect livelihoods, strengthen local economies, and prevent future generations from being pushed back into poverty


Empowering Girls through Education covers all 3 districts of the copperbelt province. This project targets disadvantaged adolescent girls and vulnerable households. The project focuses on districts with high concentrations of poor households, particularly in rural areas where women and girls are most vulnerable.

Key milestones in empowering girls through education project will include reaching high numbers of beneficiaries 100 girls with scholarships, significantly increasing school retention and implementing comprehensive training in life skills and sexual health.
Key Milestone of the project
•	Access & Enrollment: The project will enable over 100 girls to stay in school using scholarships and school kits.
•	Retention & Completion: The Second reaching Out of the project in 3 districts achieved almost 100% retention for girls in its first year.
•	Community Support: 30,000 parents and community leaders have participated in sessions in recent projects, actively shifting perspectives on girl child education.
•	Infrastructure Improvements: A notable 2026 goal in Zambia includes building 3 modern classrooms and an ICT laboratory for girls' education
•	Empowerment Programs: Providing training in digital literacy, nutrition, menstrual hygiene management, and gender-based violence awareness.
•	Safe Spaces: Initiatives like the Safe Space initiative by PFZ have provided platforms for girls to regain confidence, receive health education, and begin income-generating activities. 

Long-Term Project Impact
•	Re-enrollment: Successful reintegration of marginalized girls into schools, such as 80 girls re-enrolled in a PFZ project.
•	Community Change: Shifting norms to where community leaders stop early marriages and support girls' schooling.
•	Mentorship & Leadership: Developing leadership skills, voice, and agency in adolescent girls.

These achievements demonstrate that by providing targeted financial support, relevant life skills training, and strong community engagement, the barriers to girls' education can be significantly reduced, leading to improved, long-term outcomes.




Number of  beneficiary Girls reached 100

Based on recent educational reforms, development plans (7NDP, 8NDP), and strategic initiatives, the relevant themes in Education and Science in Zambia focus on enhancing quality, increasing equity, and fostering technology-driven, competence-based learning.
Education Reform and Quality Enhancement
•	Competence-Based Learning (CBL): Transitioning from knowledge-based to competence-based learning to foster critical skills, innovation, problem-solving, and adaptability among learners.
•	Curriculum Review and Localization: Continuous review of curricula to make it relevant to Zambian social-economic contexts, including the incorporation of ICT, entrepreneurship, and technical skills, often utilizing a "7-5-4" education structure.
•	Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE): Strengthening ECCE through the establishment of a specialized directorate, a common curriculum, and the construction of model centers, despite facing challenges regarding qualified staffing.
•	Literacy and Numeracy: Focusing on foundational learning through Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA)

2. Equity, Inclusion, and Access
•	Free Education Policy: Implementation of free education from early childhood to secondary levels to eliminate financial barriers to schooling.
•	Inclusive Education: Expanding access for learners with disabilities and non-traditional learners, ensuring education for all, including the integration of special needs education into teacher training.
•	Gender Parity: Addressing the challenges of child marriage and teenage pregnancy to ensure girls' continued enrollment and re-entry into the school system, building upon significant progress made in primary/secondary gender parity.
•	Girl Child Education: Utilizing re-entry programs and bursaries to support girls in schools.

3. Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI)
•	STEM Education: Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in schools to move from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.
•	Centres of Excellence: Establishing specialized schools for science and mathematics to enhance teacher capability and improve student outcomes.
4. Technical Education and Vocational Training (TEVET)
•	Skills Acquisition: Emphasizing vocational and practical subjects in schools (academic and vocational pathways) to match the workforce demand, particularly in the informal sector.
•	Private Sector Participation: Strengthening partnerships between the government, industries, and training institutions to enhance the relevance of training
5. Emerging Issues and Sustainability
•	Climate Education: Integrating climate education and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into the curriculum.
•	Health Education: Strengthening school-based initiatives for health challenges such as HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, malaria, and hygiene.
These themes are designed to align with Zambia's Vision 2030, which aims for a prosperous middle-income nation, focusing on creating a well-rounded learner who is creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial


Low-income households in Zambia are primarily defined by their inability to meet basic food and non-food needs, with over 60% of the population living below the poverty line as of 2022. These households are often characterized by high dependency ratios, reliance on subsistence agriculture or informal labor, and limited access to basic services.
1. Demographic & Social Profile
•	Location: Poverty is most concentrated in rural areas (such as Luapula province), though urban low-income households (e.g., in informal settlements in Lusaka and Copperbelt) face high costs of living.
•	Household Composition: High dependency ratios, typically with many children, elderly members, or persons with chronic illnesses.
•	Head of Household: Often headed by women, the elderly (65+), or in some cases, child-headed households.
•	Vulnerability Factors: Highly susceptible to shocks such as climate change (droughts affecting farming) and health crises (HIV/AIDS)
Economic Profile
•	Income Source: Primarily engaged in low-input, low-output agriculture (rural) or casual, unskilled informal labor (urban).
•	Income Level: Significant portions of the population live on less than US$2.15 a day.
•	Expenditure Patterns: Over 60% of income is often spent on basic food needs.
•	Assets: Very limited, with few savings or access to financial services
Livelihood Challenges & Needs
•	Food Security: Persistent, with high rates of malnutrition and stunting among children.
•	Housing: Limited access to proper sanitation, clean water, and secure tenure, particularly in peri-urban slums.
•	Education & Health: Inability to afford school fees and medical expenses
People with disabilities (PWDs) in Zambia represent a diverse group of individuals with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments, ranging from 2.7% to over 10% of the population.
Socio-economic Characteristics
•	Poverty and Exclusion: A majority of people with disabilities live in poverty, often facing social exclusion.
•	Education: Lower literacy levels and school attendance rates compared to peers without disabilities (80.8% attendance for PWDs vs. 89.9% for others).
•	Employment: High rates of unemployment. Many are self-employed, particularly in agriculture, with limited access to formal employment.
•	Urban/Rural Divide: Rural dwellers face compounded challenges due to a lack of infrastructure, limited investment, and fewer available services
•	Stigma and Discrimination: Many experience societal stigma, including being viewed as cursed, and roughly 10% reported being beaten or scolded for their disability.
•	Child Protection: Children with disabilities are more susceptible to abuse; about 8% have reported physical abuse and 2% sexual abuse.
•	Assistive Technology: Only about 20% of individuals with disabilities use assistive devices.

This project primarily aims to reach girls aged 10 to 14 in upper primary school and adolescent girls aged between 15 to 18 years as they transit to secondary schools or tertiary institutions (e.g. skills development). While the focus of the project is on girl’s education, it will work with boys, men and women for promotion of gender equality. The selection of the direct beneficiaries is justified by the Participatory Situational Analysis carried out in 2025 in the four Program Units. The schools targeted by this project were selected through a participative process involving children, communities, Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders in Ndola, Luanshya, Masaiti and Mpongwe districts. 
